Friday, June 10, 2016

Empty Nest Diet, including Apricot Crepes

No, we aren't eating orchids now that both of our boys have flown the coop. But we are traveling - a lot - which makes eating healthy challenging. The above picture? It's from an Orchid Show in State College, PA. And it was incredible! But what we ate that weekend was not so incredible. We were with our oldest son and went to a pub and a Mexican restaurant where craft beers were the appetizers and the main courses were, well, less than healthy. And I have to confess that, after a few months of pub and restaurant dining, I paid for it. I developed what seemed to be acid reflux and could only sleep propped up - pretty high. So I reexamined my diet and made some changes.

First, I am cooking more. I mean, I really enjoy it, so why not? I am making Indian dishes, quiches, vegetarian pastas, and other non-meat fare. I have cut out beer and any other liquor except for an occasional glass of red wine, which I only drink with a meal. I make my own bread now - no exceptions. I was alarmed when a loaf of whole grain bread I bought from our local market had not spoiled at all - after almost 2 months! That is just not normal. And I include an occasional dessert on the menu. My favorite right now is Apricot Crepes. Here's the recipe:

I make a basic low-fat crepe batter in the morning (using 1 percent organic milk and lite butter instead of their full-fat counterparts) and refrigerate it until after dinner. Then I make a sauce out of 1 T. lite butter, 1 T. flour, 1 and 1/2 T. raw sugar, the juice of a small can of apricots and stir until thickened and bubbly. I quarter the apricots and add them to the sauce with 1/2 T. lemon juice and 2 T. chopped pecans. I make 2 large crepes and fill them with a little more than half of the sauce, roll them up and pour the rest over them. I sprinkle them with a little powdered sugar, add a dollop of fat free whipped cream and serve. They are heavenly! Plus, you will find that even making half of most basic crepe recipes, you will have enough crepe batter to either make about 6 to 8 of these or to have them 3 or 4 times if your nest is empty like ours. The batter refrigerates well for a couple of days.

When I eat out, I am once more scouring the menus for healthy choices - grilled fish instead of "fish and chips" (which I had grown to love at the pubs we frequented), pasta Primavera, veggie burgers, and blackened fish tacos. I no longer order french fries or any other fried foods. And guess what? Big surprise! I am feeling better. No more reflux, no more sleeping sitting up. What a difference a change in diet made.

O.K. So the nest is empty and we travel about as much as we are home. But that is no excuse for developing poor eating habits. There are so many healthy choices out there: quinoa salads, sweet potatoes, and vegetarian options? They are on virtually every menu these days. Yes, my husband and I still travel - a lot. But now my challenge - something I really look forward to - is finding restaurants with healthy menu options and keeping it all delicious. So here are some restaurants I highly recommend:
If you are in Philadelphia, Pesto Italian Restaurant; in Annapolis, Maryland, Vin 909; in San Pedro, California, Think Cafe; in La Jolla, California, anything downtown on the water. And the best veggie burger? The Burger Joint (and they're a chain). Most Indian restaurants have delicious vegetarian options, as do Thai and Japanese ones. If you are a Pescatarian like me, seafood places often have delicious options with great sides.

It has been ages since I have posted here. But now that I plan to cook more often, I will post my favorite recipes here, as well as any restaurants that really stand out.

Egg-Free Apple Cake

This moist and delicious cake is egg, oil, and potentially dairy free! And we all really enjoy it. It is from the Oct/Nov 2008 issue of Healthy Cooking magazine. See link below for recipe. It can be made completely vegan by substituting the butter it calls for for your favorite margarine. That's what I do and it is a house favorite.

Find recipes from Healthy Cooking magazine here:

Asparagus and Parmesan Pasta Toss

This is a dolled-up version of "asparagus pasta", containing roasted red pepper, diced tomatoes, and mushrooms. It can be found in the link to Cooking Light magazine (below) and is from the May 2006 issue.

You can easliy find any Cooking Light recipe I have made by going to this website (below):

Vegan Broccoli Quiche

This recipe can be found at vegetarian.about.com

Better 'n Beef Bourgignon

I made this recipe again tonight, but with Seitan this time, and we all agreed it was even better than last time. I copied the recipe on a previous post - March 30, 2011 "Game Cancelled: Good Intentions Ruined".

Sticky Date and Coconut Cake

When the December 2008 issue of Cooking Light first came out, this recipe soon became a favorite of ours. I discovered it again today while searching for something to celebrate the mere dusting of snow we received.

Web site for My Vegan Baker. You must check this out! Her baked goods are outstanding.

Bean Burgers and Scalloped Potatoes

The bean burgers are in the October/November 2010 issue of Healthy Cooking magazine. The scalloped potatoes are in the February/March 2009 issue. Hope you try them! (See the link below)

Apricot-Glazed Salmon with Herbed Rice

This is an outstanding dish for you salmon lovers out there. The rice has diced apricots in it, as well as fresh thyme, chives, and parsley. A filet of the succulent salmon is placed on top and the way the flavors meld is impressive. It can be found through the Healthy Eating magazine link (below) - in the April/May 2009 issue.

Tofu Curry With Vegetables

This is a curry that comes in a box that you can find in the Oriental section of most supermarkets. It is S&B Golden Curry and has been a family favorite for years. We make it with potatoes, carrots, and apples, and always replace the water it calls for with broth - usually vegetable broth.

Linguine with White Clam and Broccoli Sauce

This delicious and satisfying recipe is from the December 2004 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

Vegetable Rice, Potato Curry, and Naan

The Naan is store-bought, but the Vegetable Rice and Potato Curry recipes are both from Madhu Gadia's "New Indian Home Cooking". The entire meal took about half an hour to make and both dishes are mild, yet quite delicious. To be honest, they were made with things I just happened to have in the house: a few potatoes, a lemon, a package of frozen mixed vegetables, Basmati rice, and seasonings. And I always keep a package of Naan in the freezer just for nights like tonight.

Scallop Piccata with Sauteed Spinach

Find this delicious recipe in the November 2009 issue of Cooking Light magazine. See the link below!

Chocolate Tofu Pudding

O.K. So I took my own triple dog dare and made this dish. And...we were a bit disappointed. It was not chocolatey enough, Check out the pale color. I know that some of you were planning to make it tonight. Tell me - please - what did you think?

Ground Lamb with Peas, Cauliflower Mixed Vegetables and Roasted Rice

All 3 of these dishes are from "New Indian Home Cooking", by Madhu Gadia. I served it with some Naan on the side and my entire family LOVED it!

Crispy Fish Dinner with Sauteed Zucchini

This delicious, kid-friendly fish is actually low-fat and is from the April 2010 issue of Cooking Light magazine, as is the accompanying tartar sauce and zucchini. See the link (way) below to access the recipe.

Indian Cauliflower and Vegetables with Roasted Rice

Yes, there is turmeric in this delicious Indian dish (and for those of you who "hate" curry, there is no curry powder in it). It is spicy, but not overly so. The recipe is from my favorite Indiian Cookbook - "New Indian Home Cooking", by Madhu Gadia. It contains lightened-up (i.e., low-fat) versions of classic Indian dishes.

Greek Tilapia with Manestra and Baby Squash

We all really loved this Greek-inspired tilapia from the FebruaryMarch 2011 issue of Healthy Cooking magazine. It is baked in a luscious sauce made with tomatoe-basil feta, kalamata olives, and fresh tomatoes. As a side dish, I served Manestra (Orzo pasta cooked in broth and tomato sauce), with baby zucchini seasoned with lemon pepper and lite butter. The fish recipe can be found through the link listed below.. I know you will enjoy this one!

Fried Rice with Chicken and Dried Cranberries

We liked the way all of the flavors blended together in this delicious and easy-to-make recipe. It's made with brown rice, chicken thighs, leeks, and Craisins. I served it with edemame on the side. It's from Healthy Cooking magazine, January/February 2011.

Glazed Ham, Candied Yams, and Mashed Cauliflower

Boneless ham with a cranberry, maple glaze, lightened candied yams, and mashed cauliflower round out this "holiday" meal that was oh-so-good on a cold, snowy night. The yams are my mom's recipe - parboil, peel, and slice the yams. Place them in a lg. baking dish, cover them with orange juice, sprinkle generously with brown sugar, put some cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg on top, and dab some "light" butter on them. Then bake at 350 degrees (covered for one hour) then uncover and continue cooking until tender. The mashed cauliflower is just that - mashed, lightly salted cauliflower - and it is becoming a favorite in our house. Enjoy!!

My Mini Beanie Collection

I promised a friend that I would post a picture of my Beanie collection. So until I add another meal picture, here they are! They took forever to make! To give you an idea of how small they are, I placed a dime next to the Ghost....

Lamb Kofta with Harissa Yogurt Sauce

You will be proud of yourself when you make this simple dish. It is little homemade lamb sausages (sounds elegant, doesn't it?) served over saffron basmati rice. The sauce, which you can either dip the meat into or else drizzle over the meat, is a delightful blend of yogurt, roasted red pepper and seasonings. It's from the same Cooking Light issue as last night's dinner and is also Middle Eastern - April 2010. And it has been a family favorite since I first made it about 9 months ago. Ground lamb is not the easiest ingredient to find, but if you live near a Wegman's, they often carry it. I always serve it with baby zucchini on the side. Hope you'll try it!!

Spicy Chicken Shawarma

This delicious Lebanese dish was something my husband and I had recently tried at a restaurant in Gainesville called Nora. I was thrilled to find a recipe for it in my April 2010 edition of Cooking Light magazine and I must say that this one tasted just as good. The tahini sauce was especially yummy and could be served with falafels as well. One filled pita has 402 calories and about 11 grams of fat. The photo in the magazine showed it being served with red grapes, which I wanted to do as well, but I couldn't find any domestic grapes at the supermarket. I plan to do a Blog on what produce should be bought organic and which don't have to be. Then you'll understand my problem with Chilean grapes. I served it with mango, banana, and kiwi instead and it was wonderful!

Dessert Night - Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

This decadent, lusciously gooey pudding/cake has approximately 200 calories and 1 gram of fat per serving. It is made with Dutch baking cocoa - the only source of fat in the recipe. I challenge you chocolate lovers out there to try it, so here goes: In a large bowl, mix 1 cup flour, 3/4 c. sugar, 3 T. Dutch baking cocoa, 2 t. baking powder, and 1/4 t. salt. In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup fat free milk, 1/3 cup prune baby food, and 1 and 1/2 t. vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until moist. Spread in an 8-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Combine 1/4 cup plus 2 T. brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup cocoa and sprinkle evenly over the batter. Then carefully pour 1 and 1/4 cup boiling water over the top. DO NOT STIR. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy. Serves 9

New Orleans-Inspired Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a Cajun dish that is made with chicken, smoked sausage, and shrimp, and is served with Tobasco sauce on the side. This version, which is made with turkey smoked sausage and skinless, boneless chicken has 425 calories and 8 grams of fat for a very generous serving. I usually serve it with succotash, but chose lima beans tonight. This is a family favorite! I have received several requests for this recipe and tried to copy it below. It's all there, but did not come out as neat as I had hoped. If you can't read it, it can be accessed by using the website at the top of this page. .

This meal is a very traditional Greek one and has been lightened up significantly without losing its traditional "flavor". The Pastitsio recipe is from Cooking Light, May 2003. (Note: I gave up on the whole Beanie thing, but will publish some photos of the little guys soon). Happy eating!

Thai Green Curry with Japanese Rice

This lightened-up version of a restaurant favorite tastes just like the original and boasts only 575 calories per serving and about 12 grams of fat. Sorry about the Beanie being microscopic in my last photo. See if you can find and identify the one in this picture...

Turkey Tenderloin, Mashed Yams, and Cheesy Brocolli

This meal serves 4 and has 560 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving. Ever collect Beanie Babies? I used to make them in miniature and decided to put that old hobby to use by placing one of my creations in each meal I feature here. See if you can find and identify the Beanie!

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About Me and This Site

I am a one-time CPA turned Nutritionist who believes that eating healthy (and staying fit) should never mean completely giving up your favorite foods, settling for bland-tasting meals, or rarely eating out. Nor should it mean replacing real food with supplements. I have discovered a world of epicurean delights that also happens to be good for the body, the mind, and even the soul.